The present invention relates generally to distributed computing systems and, more particularly, to a method and system for printing a document from a computer. It relates particularly to a method and system for printing from a computer using a printer which prints interactive documents and which is linked to a network of computers.
The common method for printing a document from a computer is for the computer to be connected directly or through a network to a printer. Instructions for printing the document are transmitted from the computer to the printer, and the printer prints the document in accordance with the instructions received from the computer. In some cases, parts of the document to be printed, such as the typefaces to be used for printing text in the document, are stored in the printer. In these cases, the computer merely sends instructions giving the elements to be used in the document, such as the text to be printed and the typeface and font size to be used, and the printer uses these instructions to assemble and print the document. In other cases, the computer sends the printer a complete description of every pixel to be printed on the document, and the printer simply places the pixels in accordance with the computer""s instructions.
If multiple copies of a document are required, the computer may send the same page layout instructions to the printer multiple times, or alternatively the computer may instruct the printer to keep the page layout instructions in the printer""s memory and repeat the document printing process until all the required copies have been made. In some cases, a printer may retain page layout instructions for a longer period of time.
However, in general, current computer printing processes are controlled by a computer, and not by the printer itself If a user requires another printed copy of a document because the first did not print properly, or has been destroyed, or for any other reason, the user must go back to the computer to request the further copy. This can be inconvenient if the computer is located at a distance from the printer, or if the computer has been turned off, or if the instructions for creating the document have not been saved on the computer, or if the instructions for creating the document require substantial computer time in order to reconstruct the document.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new system and method for computer printing.
The present invention provides, in a first aspect, a method of printing a document from a computer including the following steps:
(a) transmitting instructions for printing the document from the computer to a printer;
(b) printing the document on the printer in accordance with the instructions received from the computer;
(c) also printing on the document coded data indicative of an identity of the document and a plurality of reference points on the document; wherein the coded data is printed on the document in a form which can be read by an optical sensing device to identify location of the optical sensing device relative to the document.
The identity of the document may be determined by an identification code issued by a server which issues document identification codes.
A copy of the document may be requested by directing an optical sensing device towards a zone on the document, which causes the optical sensing device to sense coded data on the document and transmit a message to the printer, which in turn causes the printer to print a copy of the document.
As part of the printing process, a digital copy of the document may be archived. The digital copy is preferably archived on a server remote from the computer and the printer.
Changes may be requested to the document by means of an optical sensing device being moved relative to the document, the motions of the optical sensing device being detected by means of coded data printed on the document being detected by the optical sensing device and/or by means of accelerometers associated with the optical sensing device and/or by other movement detecting means, data indicative of the movements of the optical sensing device being transmitted to the printer before a copy of the document is printed incorporating the requested changes.
A user may draw on the document by drawing on the surface of the document with an optical sensing device, the movements of the optical sensing device being transmitted to the printer and stored with an archived copy of the document. Preferably, the archived copy of the document can be reproduced both with and without the addition of the lines which the user has drawn on the document. The optical sensing device preferably has a marking nib which leaves markings on the document when the user draws on the document. The optical sensing device is preferably a hand-held device.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of printing a document from a computer including the following steps:
(a) transmitting instructions for printing the document from the computer to a printer;
(b) obtaining a document identification code which is generated by an identification server;
(c) forwarding a copy of the document to a page server for archiving by reference to the document identification code;
(d) printing the document on the printer in accordance with the instructions received from the computer;
(e) also printing on the document coded data indicative of the document identification code and at least one reference point on the document, wherein the coded data is printed on the document in a form which can be read by an optical sensing device.
The printer may also return the document identification code to the computer for future reference.
An instruction for performing an action may be forwarded from an optical sensing device to the printer when the optical sensing device is used to designate a particular zone of the document. The action may be one of the following:
(a) printing a copy of the document or part of the document;
(b) printing a clean copy of the document or part of the document;
(c) printing status information about the document.
The document may have printed on it one or more options which a user may select, each associated with a designated zone on the document, wherein the user selects an option by moving an optical sensing device on the surface of the document within the associated zone, the optical sensing device transmitting the user""s selection to the printer.
The coded data may be visible, but it is preferred that the coded data be preferably substantially invisible to the human eye.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of printing a document from a computer including the following steps:
(a) transmitting instructions for printing the document from the computer to a printer;
(b) printing the document on the printer in accordance with the instructions received from the computer;
(c) also printing on the document coded data indicative of at least one function associated with the document; wherein the coded data is printed on the document in a form which can be read by an optical sensing device.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a system for printing a document from a computer including the following components:
(a) a computer;
(b) a printer;
(c) means for transmitting instructions for printing the document from the computer to a printer;
(d) the printer including means for printing on the document coded data indicative of an identity of the document and a plurality of reference points on the document;
(e) an optical sensing device for reading the coded data.
The system may further include an identification server which issues document identification codes.
The optical sensing device preferably includes means for transmitting one or more of the following to a receiver associated with the printer:
(a) data sensed by the optical sensing device;
(b) data indicative of the location and/or orientation of the optical sensing device;
(c) data indicative of the movement of the optical sensing device.
The system may further include a page server for archiving a digital copy of the document.
In a preferred embodiment of the system, the computer transmits the document to the printer, a document identification code is requested and received from the identification server, the coded data printed by the printer includes the document identification code, and the document identification code is returned to the computer for future reference.
It is preferred that the optical sensing device transmitting means is a wireless transmitter. The optical sensing device may optionally have a marking nib which leaves markings on the document when the user moves the optical sensing device on the document. The optical sensing device is preferably a hand-held device.
In preferred embodiments, the system further includes one or more of:
(a) means for converting data indicative of movements of the optical sensing device into computer text;
(b) means for comparing data received from the optical sensing device indicative of a signature with a known signature of the user;
(c) means for interpreting, storing and retrieving data indicative of movements of the optical sensing device representing lines drawn by the user on the photograph.
As an optional refinement, the system may further include a document binder which automatically binds pages together for multi-page documents.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a system and a method which utilizes one or more forms capable of interacting with a computer system. Whilst the novel method and system of the present invention may be used in conjunction with a single computer system, in a particularly preferred form it is designed to operate over a computer network, such as the Internet.
As a physical entity, the interactive form is constructed as a surface medium and may be of any suitable structure. However, in a preferred arrangement, the form comprises sheet material such as paper or the like which has the coded data printed on it and which allows it to interact with the computer system. The coded data is detectable preferably, but not exclusively, outside the visible spectrum, thereby enabling it to be machine-readable but substantially invisible to the human eye. The form may also include visible material which provides information to a user, such as the application or purpose of the form, and which visible information may be registered or correlate in position with the relevant hidden coded data.
The system also includes a sensing device to convey data from the form to the computer system, and in some instances, to contribute additional data. Again, the sensing device may take a variety of forms but is preferably compact and easily portable. In a particularly preferred arrangement, the sensing device is configured as a pen which is designed to be able to physically mark the interactive form as well as to selectively enable the coded data from the form to be read and transmitted to the computer system. The coded data then provides control information, configured such that designation thereof by a user causes instructions to be applied to the software running on the computer system or network.
The nature of the interaction between the form and the sensing device and the data that each contributes to the computer system may vary. In one arrangement, the coded data on the form is indicative of the identity of the form and of at least one reference point on that form. In another embodiment, the interactive form includes coded data which is indicative of a parameter of the form, whereas the sensing device is operative to provide data regarding its own movement relative to that form to the computer system together with coded data from the form. In yet another arrangement, the form includes the coded data which at least identifies the form, and the sensing device is designed to provide, to the computer system, data based on the form coded data, and also on data which identifies the user of the device.
In a preferred arrangement, the system and method also employs specially designed printers to print the interactive form. Further these printers constitute or form part of the computer system and are designed to receive data from the sensing device. As indicated above, the system and method of the invention is ideally suited to operate over a network. In this arrangement, the printers are fully integrated into the network and allow for printing of the interactive forms on demand and also for distributing of the forms using a mixture of mutli-cast and point-cast communication protocols.
Accordingly, in a preferred form, the present invention provides methods and systems which use a paper and pen based interface for a computer system. This provides many significant benefits over traditional computer systems. The advantage of paper is that it is widely used to display and record information. Further, printed information is easier to read than information displayed on a computer screen. Moreover, paper does not run on batteries, can be read in bright light, or robustly accepts coffee spills or the like and is portable and disposable. Furthermore, the system allows for hand-drawing and hand-writing to be captured which affords greater richness of expression than input via a computer keyboard and mouse.
The present invention therefore provides a system and method for computer printing making use of novel interactive surface media.
The invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to the attached drawings. It is to be understood that the particularity of the embodiments illustrated in the drawings does not supersede the generality of the foregoing description of the invention.